If your child loves to dress up as their favorite superhero or cartoon character, they’re probably quite excited to show it off to their neighbors and get free candy for doing so. It’s practically a dream-come-true! While going door-to-door to get candy is incredibly fun, it’s important to keep in mind that candy can be considerably harmful to their oral health. If you want to reduce the risk of your child developing cavities, keep these Halloween candy tips in mind before you walk with them around the neighborhood.
Don’t Keep Candy Bowls In the House
While it may be surprising, snacking on candy in small amounts throughout the day can actually be more harmful to your oral health than having a large amount of candy in one sitting. This is largely because the former habit is more likely to keep teeth coated in food debris that bacteria loves to consume and convert into plaque acids. Having candy bowls for your young ones to snack on throughout the day only exacerbates this problem, which is not ideal if they already plan to have a stash from trick-or-treating.
Avoid the Stickiest Varieties of Candy
Sticky candies, such as gummies, taffy or licorice are far more likely to stay on teeth for long periods at a time. This makes it far more difficult for your child to clean their teeth once it’s time to brush and floss. Avoid them altogether and stick with chocolate, which is much easier to remove from teeth.
Stay Hydrated
A dry mouth is one of the worst things for your oral health because it promotes plaque development and makes it easier for oral bacteria to move around. Whether you are trick-or-treating or having treats at home, make sure that you have plain water nearby to wash away loose food debris and bacteria. Brush your teeth after eating candy to prevent staining of tooth enamel as well as cavities.
Chew ADA-Approved Gum
Along with staying hydrated, chewing sugar-free gum is a great way to keep the mouth consistently producing saliva. Saliva acts as a lubricant that not only washes away bacteria, but keeps teeth clean. Make sure to choose a gum that is ADA-approved and entirely sugar-free.
Cut Out Sugar-Filled Beverages
There are going to be many holidays moving forward that give you an opportunity to eat sugar-filled foods. The last thing you should do is introduce beverages into the mix, which can create the illusion that they are hydrating you but actually causing your mouth to dry out and harm tooth enamel. Remove soda, sweet tea and other sugar-heavy beverages during the holiday seasons.
With these tips in mind, you can enjoy Halloween responsibly and avoid the heightened risk of cavity development by next year!
About the Practice
Pasadena Family Dentistry is dedicated to providing comprehensive treatments that cover a wide variety of dental needs. The dentists are more than happy to educate patients of all ages on the best tips to keep in mind as you enter the holiday season. To learn more about their practice or schedule an appointment, you can contact them through their website.